| Author: | Yuen, Mei-yee |
| Title: | A clinical trial on the effectiveness of aloe vera based Vaseline and 99% aloe vera gel as preventive measure of skin reaction for Ca breast patients with chest wall irradiation |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2002 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Aloe barbadensis -- Therapeutic use Chest -- Wounds and injuries Breast -- Cancer -- Patients -- Care |
| Department: | Multi-disciplinary Studies Department of Optometry and Radiography |
| Pages: | xvi, 111 leaves : col. ill. ; 30 cm |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Most of the breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy experience skin reactions such as erythema or desquamation. Suitable skin care is important in minimizing the patient's discomfort in a course of radiotherapy, preventing infection, fluid loss as well as avoiding treatment suspension. Standard guidelines such as not to expose to any product that contains metals, alcohol, or other skin irritants over the affected area, wearing loose cotton clothing have been adopted over the past years in Hong Kong. However, these may not be good enough to avoid the occurrence of severe skin reaction. Several reports suggested that aloe vera could facilitate the healing of radiation-induced skin ulceration and dermatitis in humans. This study aimed to investigate two aloe vera based skin care products (aloe vera based Vaseline and 99% aloe vera gel) about their abilities to reduce the skin reaction for female breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. 104 Chinese female patients were recruited, 98 of them were available for statistical analysis. They were randomized into three groups: (1) patients used no skin care products; (2) patients used aloe vera based Vaseline and (3) patients used 99% aloe vera gel. Patients were instructed to apply the product 4 times a day, but not within 4 hours of their daily radiotherapy session. Application began at one day prior to the first radiation treatment and continued for 2 more weeks after completion of radiotherapy. Results showed that when using the acute skin reaction scoring criteria of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), the mean maximum skin reaction grades were the lowest for patients who applied 99% aloe vera gel, followed by the control group and the aloe vera based Vaseline group. However, the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). The development of skin reaction was slower and less traumatic for patients who applied 99% aloe vera gel than those patients who applied aloe vera based Vaseline. Such differences were more obvious in lumpectomy patients than in mastectomy. For patients who had undergone lumpectomy, the average times to develop deep erythema were 34.22, 30.69 and 40.9 days for the control group, the aloe vera based Vaseline group and the 99% aloe vera gel group respectively (p > 0.05). For the same group of patients, the average times to develop patchy moist desquamation were 43.33, 39.31 and 48.05 days for the control, the aloe vera based Vaseline and the 99% aloe vera gel group respectively (p>0.05). Similarly, for the patients who had undergone mastectomy, the average times to develop deep erythema were 32.59, 31.5 and 37.17 days for the control group, the aloe vera based Vaseline group (p=0.756 when compared with the control group) and the 99% aloe vera gel (p=0.03 when compared with the control group) respectivey patchy. For the same group of patient, the average times to develop moist desquamation were 40.91, 40.13 and 40.50 days for the control, the aloe vera based Vaseline group and the 99% aloe vera gel group respectively (p > 0.05). For patients with lumpectomy, the duration of patchy moist desquamation were 0.78, 3.23 and 0.64 days for the control, the aloe vera based Vaseline group and the 99% aloe vera gel group respectively (p > 0.05). For patients with mastectomy, the duration of patchy moist desquamation were 3.86, 5.60 and 5.33 days for the control, the aloe vera based Vaseline group and the 99% aloe vera gel group respectively (p> 0.05). In conclusion, based on the statistical results, both aloe vera based Vaseline and 99% aloe vera gel would not reduce the radiation induced skin reaction of Chinese female breast cancer patients. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
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| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b16589725.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 9.15 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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